Virtual Financial Management Conference - Wednesday Sessions

Wednesday, February 14 Sessions

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM EST

W101: Award Closeout- It's Never Too Early to Start!

Did you know that many of your day-to-day activities contribute to award closeout? You may be surprised to learn that the closeout process begins when the institution receives an award.  In this session, we will discuss opportunities that exist throughout the award lifecycle that directly impact the final financial reconciliation of sponsored awards.

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

  1. Walk with an understanding of how proactive grant management can contribute to efficient closeout.
  2. Apply best practices and incorporate closeout timelines based on the sponsor requirements. 

Track: Grant Accounting

Speaker(s): Laurian Bradford, Director, Sponsored Programs, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University; Melissa Emanus, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

W102: How to Prep for and Lead a PI Meeting 

A key aspect of managing a post-award research portfolio is to be able to effectively communicate with its Primary Investigator. Working with the PI to understand their vision for their projects while assisting and advising them with the administration of those projects is essential. However, anyone who has worked with researchers knows that their time is often limited. It is therefore of paramount importance for an administrator be able to lead an efficient and productive meeting with their PIs. In this session, we will discuss to how to prepare for such meetings and what strategies to use when leading them.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Gather information and assemble the questions necessary to conduct a portfolio meeting with a Primary Investigator.
  2. Discuss strategies for leading an efficient portfolio meeting with a Primary Investigator. 

Track: Non-Financial Post-Award 

Speaker(s): Nathan Youngblood, Higher Ed Consulting Sr. Associate, Huron Consulting Group; Nina Pourahmadi, Management Consultant, Huron Consulting Group

W103: Fundamentals of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Cost Allocation 

Would you like a basic understanding of what a facilities and administrative (F&A) cost rate is and why it is important? This session will reveal the mystery of F&A and provide an overview of the process, the terminology, and how everyday spending decisions become the basis of the costing that is reflected in the F&A Rate. In addition, we will explore what happens after the rate is calculated, the importance of F&A, and some of the frequent campus concerns about F&A costs.

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

  1. Acquire a basic understanding of the F&A allocation process. 
  2. Review what happens after the rate is calculated. 

Track: Financial Leadership 

Financial Management Certificate: Facilities and Administrative Costs 

Speaker(s): Cathy Snyder, Higher Ed Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group; Martin Smith, Higher Ed Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group

W104: Cost Sharing: Who, What, When, Where and Why

In this session, attendees will gain knowledge of cost share and how it works. We will dive into when and why institutions cost share. What should we take into consideration as we budget, monitor and report cost share to the sponsor.  In addition to the basics, other key areas of concern will be discussed include: allowability of expenditures, impact to F&A rate and communication.  

Content level: Basic 

Learning objectives:

  1. Review the different types of cost share and cost share contributions. 
  2. Discuss  how to proactively manage cost to avoid future problems.  

Track: Advanced Finance Topics 

Speaker(s): Maria Soliman, Director, University of Iowa

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST 

W201: Budget Considerations – Industry Clinical Trial Agreements vs. Non-Profit/Federal Agreements 

 You have been asked to participate in a clinical trial – what expenses would you include and at what rate? Does it matter if it is federally funded vs. industry, and can you apply the same rate? Use of FTE vs. an overall coordinator rate – study startup, how do you consider all these costs with current NIH funding levels vs. other CRO limitations.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Identifying different types of costs associated with clinical trials. 
  2. Discussion on various costs associated with clinical trials that are allowable on industry vs. federally funded clinical trials.

Track: Grant Accounting

Financial Management Certificate: Elective

Speaker(s): Linda Dement, Grant and Finance Program Manager | Grants & Contracts Administration | CII,  Benaroya Research Institute

W202: Cost Transfers and Compliance

The presentation will include information related to salary and non-salary cost transfers, cost transfer policies and compliance issues around federal guidelines.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Review what internal controls can help reduce the number of cost transfers.
  2. Discuss what type of cost transfers cause concerns for Uniform Guidance audit findings. 

Track: Grant Accounting

Speaker(s): Connie Hopkins, Lead Specialist, Sponsored Research Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital

W203: Best Practices for Managing Award Reporting & Closeouts 

This goal of this session is to examine industry best practices on how institutions can manage reporting and closeouts ensuring their compliance with 2CFR200 guidelines for managing and accountability of federal and sponsor funds and reporting requirements. Participants will gain insight to a variety of tools that are available to help them manage this functionality using their ERP systems and accepted best practices. This presentation will also help participant that have significant backlogs gain an insight on how to tackle these operational risks to ensure their institutional funda are not at risk.  

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Understand the importance of completing closeout and reporting in a timely manner to ensure compliance with guidelines. 
  2. Develop skills and methodology on tackling operational backlogs.  

Track: Non-Financial Post-Award Administration

Speaker(s): Mustafa Khawaja, Higher Education Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group

W204: NIH Ranking Data and Methodologies

Review of NIH Ranking data from different sources and methodologies, and how you can use the NIH data for more than the ranking of institutions.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

  1. Learn how the NIH Data Sources are different and what they each do. 
  2. Review methods to managing NIH award data for accuracy throughout the year.

Track: Financial Leadership

Speaker(s): Tom Berkhoudt, Associate Vice Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh; Chelsea Carroll, School of Medicine Administration, Health Sciences Research Administration, University of Pittsburgh 

W205: Core Facilities: Best Practices for Compliant Management

Establishing and maintaining federally chargeable core facilities and service centers is crucial in the current higher education landscape.  This session considers best practices for overcoming compliance, budgeting, and operational challenges.  We will discover some of the key characteristics of solid policies and procedures, as well as review some areas of concern such as animal facilities and external customers.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

  1. Learn best practices for establishing compliant rates for charging internal and external customers.
  2. Learn best practices for developing new or revising institutional policies and procedures . 

Track: Advanced Finance Topics

Speaker(s): Michelle Schardein, Senior Associate, Education and Research Consulting, Huron Consulting Group

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

W301: Effort Certification/Payroll Confirmation: Managing Implementation Change from a Central/Department Perspective

Establishing and maintaining federally chargeable core facilities and service centers is crucial in the current higher education landscape.  This session considers best practices for overcoming compliance, budgeting, and operational challenges.  We will discover some of the key characteristics of solid policies and procedures, as well as review some areas of concern such as animal facilities and external customers.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Discuss decision points on how to implement a new system, including what certification methodology to utilize.
  2. Review change management on various research support roles. 

Track: Grant Accounting 

Financial Management Certificate: Elective

Speaker(s): Martin Bergerson, Higher Education Consulting Senior Director, Huron Consulting Group; Lauren Pite, Director of Grants and Contracts, University of North Dakota 

 

W302: What Happened if Pre-Award Was.... 

 The session will help administrators identify post-award pitfalls during the pre-award process and review strategies and best practices to help mitigate common post-award issues.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Identify areas that impact post-award management once an award is funded.
  2. Discuss strategies to bridge the gap between pre and post-award during the pre-award submission process. 

Track: Department Administration Finance 

Speaker(s): Francine Davis, Sr. Director, HSS. Research Administration Services, Emory University 

W303: Introduction to Subrecipient Monitoring

What is “Subrecipient Monitoring?” This presentation will discuss at a high-level the regulatory foundations, organizational requirements, lifecycle touchpoints and the potential challenges institutions face and approaches to manage them.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Develop an understanding of the Uniform Guidance subrecipient monitoring regulations. 
  2. Review the basic framework of a subrecipient monitoring program. 

Track: Non-Financial Post-Award

Financial Management Certificate: Subrecipient Monitoring

Speaker(s): Simone Barnhill, Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group; Webb Brightwell, Higher Ed Consultant Senior Associate, Huron Consulting Group

W304: Risk Assessments: Evaluating Institutional Risks and Developing Annual Compliance Plans

This session will provide an overview of research-related risks, the benefits of a risk assessment, how to conduct one, and how to implement risk mitigation strategies. Participants will learn to leverage risk assessment tools to manage research compliance-related risks better.

Content level: Intermediate 

Learning objectives:

  1. Review the benefits of a risk assessment. 
  2. Understand how to better manage compliance-related risk. 

Track: Financial Leadership 

Speaker(s): Debra Schaller-Demers, Senior Director, Research Compliance, New York University; Roseann Luongo, Consulting Director, Huron Consulting Group

W305: Introduction to the Space Survey

Conducting a space survey is an important strategic step to many institutions especially in preparation for an Indirect Cost Rate (F&A) proposal.  The presenters will discuss an ideal timeline, various communications that need to be aligned, different tools that can be used to conduct a successful space survey and the importance of a space survey to the broader Indirect Rate Calculation.

Content level: Basic

Learning objectives:

  1. Discuss data needed for the Space Survey. 
  2. Analyze the importance of the Space Survey. 

Track: Advanced Finance Topics

Speaker(s): Chea Smith, Associate Controller, Cost Analysis & Capital Equipment Management, Rutgers University; Neel Velani, Consulting Associate, Huron Consulting Group